There have been many attempts and systems proposed to provide path marking and lighting systems to provide directional assistance in both emergency and non-emergency applications. Typical emergency guidance and lighting systems in buildings are centralized and often characterized by the presence of a spotlight or pair of spotlights also commonly referred to as “bug eyes” that are mounted toward the ceiling on a wall and contain a battery which is rechargeable from an AC supply. These emergency lights are illuminated throughout the building upon loss of AC power or receipt of an external input signal. There are a number of problems and disadvantages associated with point source illumination devices such as the “bug eyes” lighting systems in both emergency and non-emergency applications. One common disadvantage is the inability to insure the adequacy and integrity of the lighting system particularly as used for emergency lighting due to infrequent, incomplete or missed inspections by regulatory personnel. In instances when such inspections are made, the location of the “bug eyes” lights are such that inspectors cannot reach them to perform tests of the battery reserve which requires operating test buttons for periods of an hour or more. A further disadvantage of “bug eyes” emergency lighting is the inability to provide adequate light intensity at floor levels for egress path lighting particularly in the presence of smoke. A number of systems have been proposed for illuminating exit paths on the wall just above the floor or at floor level recognizing the smoke from a fire will generally obscure light higher up in the room and because crawling below the smoke is often recommended as the safest means of escape. U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,375, granted Aug. 30, 1994 to Gross et al. teaches an emergency lighting strip comprising strings of spaced LED's electrically connected in series in a mounting bracket and a number of strips are used along the path to provide markings. The LED strip lamps of Gross are limited in length complex and do not provide a continuous uninterrupted illuminated path and consume high amounts of power to operate. A 200 foot length of the Gross LED strip lamp would require approximately 108 amperes and be made up of approximately 5400 LED's having 10,800 electrical connections.
Continuous uninterrupted illuminated path marking and light systems that are automatically triggered are particularly well suited to organizations and individuals caring for people with inhibited functions such as developmentally disabled, traumatic brain injury, psychiatric problems, physically disabled, vision impaired or Alzheimer's patients. Typically these individuals can live somewhat autonomously given the proper tools and assisted living devices including means for orienting the individual in the darkness and guiding the individual safely to the restroom and back to their bedroom. It would be desirable therefore to provide a fully integrated, motion activated path marking and lighting system to provide continuous uninterrupted illuminated path marking and designated area lighting for use in special care facilities, group homes, hospitals and other areas.
It is further desirable to provide such a path marking and lighting system in indoor areas where directional lighting is required that can also be integrated with light sensitive or motion sensitive photoelectric cells, smoke detectors and other such sensors. It is further desirable to provide a path marking and lighting system that overcomes the problems associated with other known linear illumination systems including source lighting, LED's, incandescent and fiber optic lighting. Electroluminescent (EL) lamp strips and panels manufactured and sold by Applicant under the trade name “FLATLITE®” provide a continuous uninterrupted illuminated path. The nature of the FLATLITE® electroluminescent product as a lambertian emitter causes limited impairment of night vision and does not dilate the pupils. This makes the product more valuable as a path marking and lighting system than any point source based system such as, for example, LED's, incandescent or “bug eyes” lighting devices.